Can’t Get Back to Normal

I feel like a completely different person and that I can’t get back to normal. And Okay, so I feel like a completely different person. I’ve tried to figure out the reason for it but I just can’t. I’ve been having trouble pretty much with daily life. Here’s a list of things that have been troubling me.

-I feel so restless all the time -I can’t ever sleep even with using sleeping pills, and when i finally do fall asleep I constantly keep waking up. -I never have as much fun as i used to. -I feel so angry ALL the time for no apparent reason. -I cant concentrate on ANYTHING. -I have trouble pretty much thinking in general and reading b/c when I try all my thoughts just jumble together. The last book i was able to read straight through was in 8th grade and I’m a senior, and i also skipped some pages through it. -I always feel like people are talking about me -I cannot stand when people are staring at me. I feel like I’m in the spotlight and that im like trapped in it or something. -Before i go to bed i get this strange feeling almost like when you have a bad feeling about something or like im scared. its wierd and i hate it.

After alot of these things started happening my friends didnt wanna talk to me anymore because they said i wasnt the same person. And that made everything worse. Now we’re all friends again but I still feel the same.

I’ve tried explaining these problems with my mom but she just thinks I’m in it for the meds but I dont even want them. All I want is to know what’s wrong with me. Please help. I can’t live like this anymore.

*also: my mom has anxiety problems and shes on celexa and kilonopin and other stuff. it also runs in the family if that has ANYTHING to do with me. But she refuses to think anythings wrong. She says I’m just making it up. But these issues are really affecting my life to where i cant stand it anymore AT ALL!

Thank You=D

A. You mentioned that your mother has anxiety problems and takes medication for it. You may also be dealing with anxiety issues. It is common for anxiety disorders to run in families. They may be genetic. It may also be that anxiety is a learned response. If your mother reacts to situations with anxiety she may have inadvertently taught you the same response.

A popular treatment for anxiety is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT is a type of treatment that focuses on faulty or illogical thinking as well as maladaptive behaviors. What this means is that a therapist who utilizes a CBT approach will attempt to understand how you think about things. He or she will try to determine whether you are thinking logically. That is the cognitive aspect of CBT. The behavioral part involves a therapist analyzing your behaviors to determine if they are healthy. The therapist, after examining your thoughts and behaviors, will attempt to correct illogical thoughts and teach you more appropriate behaviors. CBT has been shown to be a very effective treatment.

I suggest that you have another conversation with your mother about getting help for a possible anxiety disorder. Tell her that you wrote this letter. If she knew this, she might realize how serious you are about wanting help. In addition, tell her you want to see a therapist. You may also be able to educate her about CBT and how it has been shown to be effective for anxiety disorders. Who knows? She may also want to try it.

I think you are brave for speaking out about your problems and asking for help. It is not an easy thing to do. Yes, you might have to ask your mother multiple times for help but keep asking until she listens. If you have an anxiety disorder and it is treated early, you can prevent it from becoming more severe.